Monday, March 25, 2013

Sources
say the ousted Central African Republic head of state, Francios Bozize landed
at the Batouri aerodrome on Sunday 24, 2013 at about 6:12 pm. According to what
we gathered, President Bozize was accompanied by his two sons and a body guard.
Bozize left the presidential palace at least 30 minutes before Seleka rebels
launched the final assault on the compound, the presidency disclosed after his
flight.
However, official sources have confirmed that Bozize is in Cameroon for the
moment before looking for a country where he and family could be granted
asylum. This information was confirmed on Monday that Bozize was on Cameroon territory but said it was not giving him permanent refugee.
It should be recalled that he has been ousted by ( Seleka Rebels), a loose rebel
coalition of five factions. The rebels made a breakthrough this weekend in its
southward push since launching an insurgency in December 2012, when they accused
the government of failing to carry out a series of peace accords signed in the
past five years.
It should also be noted that ousted Bozize and Seleka in January signed a peace
accord in the Gabonese capital Libreville. The rebels resume attacks recently
after giving the government an ultimatum to honor the agreement, especially the
integration of Seleka fighters into the national army and the pullout of South
African and Ugandan troops deployed in Central African Republic.

A
spokesperson for the Seleka rebels announced Michel Djotodia's claim a day
after the rebels toppled the President Francois Bozize. "The
current prime minister remains in place and the cabinet will be slightly
reshuffled," said Eric Massi, the spokesperson. "Bangui
is under our control and calm but we have things to do on the ground in terms
of security. Looting must be stopped." The
peace deal in January created a power-sharing government composed of rebels,
civilian opposition and Bozize loyalists.

The
rebels, who have accused Bozize of breaking the peace agreement, raided
Bangui on Thursday.

Witnesses
said on Sunday that gunfire could be heard across many parts of the capital and
that businesses were being looted. "The
situation is rather precarious, most residents are in their homes [because]
everything has pretty much been looted," said Amy Martin, the Bangui
bureau chief for the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs. She
added that the looting was done by "a combination of armed elements"
as well as neighbourhood residents targeting houses in the diplomatic
community.

The
office of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement on Monday, saying
"he is deeply concerned by reports of serious violations of human
rights", underscoring that those "responsible for
committing such violations will be held accountable". He
condemned the seizure, calling for "the swift restoration of
constitutional order". "We
have asked our citizens to remain at home. For the time being, there is
nothing to be worried about," said the source. "There is no direct
threat to our citizens at the moment."

France,
which already has about 250 soldiers stationed in the Central African
Republic, sent in another company of 150 troops to secure Bangui's
international airport, a diplomatic source said.

On
Sunday, the French presidency said they were determined to protect their
citizens in the country and had decided to strengthen their military presence.

The
rebels' ouster of President Francois Bozize was swiftly condemned by the United
Nations and the African Union. But in a sign of pragmatism, the United States, France
and regional powerbroker Chad called on the insurgents to respect a January
peace deal creating a unity government.

Some 5,000 Seleka fighters swept into the capital on
Sunday after a lightning offensive in which they fought their way from the far
north to the presidential palace in four days after a the collapse of the
power-sharing agreement signed in the Gabonese capital Libreville

The removal of Bozize, who himself seized power in a
2003 coup backed by Chad, was just the latest in a series of rebellions since
the poor, landlocked country won independence from France in 1960.

"We will respect the Libreville accord, which
means a political transition of 2 to 3 years before elections," Seleka
spokesman Eric Massi said

The Libreville deal - drafted by regional mediators
after the rebels besieged Bangui in December - had created a government drawn
from Bozize loyalists, rebel leaders and the civilian opposition.

Massi said that civilian opposition member Nicolas
Tiangaye would remain as prime minister with a slightly modified cabinet. In the sprawling capital, 600,000 residents remained
without power and running water for a third day, preventing Djotodia from
making a planned national address from the presidential palace.

Despite a curfew, there was widespread pillaging of
offices, public buildings and businesses by rebels and civilians. "Public order is the biggest problem right
now," said General Jean Felix Akanga, commander of the regional African
peacekeeping force. "Seleka's leaders are struggling to control their men.
The president has asked us to help restore calm."

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